Women's cycle tour postponed

Race director Jorge Sandoval says the Women's Cycle Tour of New Zealand has become one of the casualties of the Lance Armstrong saga.

The high costs associated with new drugs testing regulations introduced by the UCI has forced Sandoval to postponed the February tour.

Sandoval says the UCI doesn't allow Drug Free Sport New Zealand to conduct test in UCI events in New Zealand, so a UCI drugs inspector and testing devices have to be sent to New Zealand and the associated costs rise to about $30,000.

Sandoval says he's all for drugs testing, but it has to be put into perspective.

Sandoval says as January's men's tour has been going a lot longer he decided to fully back that, but is confident the women's race will return in 2014.

Sandoval says he knows of a number of tours around the world that have been cancelled because of the growing costs.